Curse of the Golden Flower The Chrysanthemum Scarf
by Forgotten Honor
Summary: They said the rebellion of the Chrysanthemum Festival was over. They said that all involved in the plot against King Ping were dead. They were wrong...I'm not dead, yet...and I still have orders to carry out... Please Review
1. Prologue

**One Last Chance**

Our charge was glorious. To anyone else looking on the scene it would have appeared to be a great golden flood bearing down on the palace. We moved flawlessly and with absolute precision; not a single step was taken that hadn't been rehearsed into our bodies and minds, preparing for this moment. Our training was the best in the land, our tactics surpassed by none, and our will unbreakable; we were the Royal Guards. But in the end, it wasn't enough...

My name is Tao, I was an officer in the Royal Guards who assisted in Prince Jai's rebellion and attack on the Palace. I alone survived the massacre that took place there. Everyone else thought that nobody who participated in the rebellion lived, I don't blame them. What are the chances of surviving a storm of arrows from all angles? But miraculously, I did. And as long as one who wore the chrysanthemum scarf lived then the rebellion was far from over.

After taking three arrows in the chest I'd briefly fallen unconscious. My armor had stopped the first two from penetrating my skin and the third only made a deep flesh-wound. I awoke to the sound of stamping feet and bodies in full armor being dragged, such as myself. I wanted to do nothing more than jump up and attack the closest person to me but I knew that the enemy troops, the Palace Guards, had to be nearby and overseeing the whole thing; to do that now would be to alert the enemy and allow them to finish what they started.

I stayed as silent as I could and relaxed my muscles, making them go limp. It would not only keep up the appearance of being dead, but it would also dull the pain of being dragged over something uneven. I stayed like that for an unknown length of time. I knew that even though we'd rebelled against him the King would see to it we recieved a proper burial. When I was alone that would be my chance to escape.

Along the journey, I allowed my eyes to open. It is only in stories that mens eyes close when they die so I was in no danger of being spotted. I saw how my brothers and I were dragged out of the courtyard and loaded onto wagons that would carry us to the lower levels of the Palace. Upon reaching the holy grounds where the monks would help in preparing the dead for their funeral I was lifted off and taken into an enormous room.

Like my brothers, I was placed on a table where a servant began to strip me. Thank the heavens there were no women around or I fear I would have been betrayed by my arousal. My armor was placed on another table parallel to my own that also held large tubs of hot water and soap, bottles of perfume, and other such items including combs and another set of armor for my funeral.

Time seemed to slow as I was stripped naked and washed clean of blood. My wound had stopped bleeding and was dressed as though this was a medical ward. Next came the armor as I was redressed and my hair combed and lightly scented with perfume. Finally, the helmet was placed on my head and a servant closed my eyes. I could hear the servants still cleaning others though I could no longer allow myself to look.

At last, the final steps of the servants left the room and went away for the Chrysanthemum Festival and I was free to move. Stripping the armor off to the robes I wore underneath, I moved silently to the door to peer out in the hall. It was empty and I had a clear shot, but I still needed to hide my escape. What would I do to replace myself for the funeral and not cause an uproar? My question was answered by a drunken Palace Guard stumbling down the corridor, a gourd of wine sloshing in his hand. I waited until he'd walked past when I struck from behind and snapped the fool's neck. Next it was a matter of switching clothes and armor with him and placing him in the same spot where I'd been left.

I did my best to tighten the fit, the armor was a little too large for me, but I was able to disguise it with the cavalry cloak the guard had been wearing. I finally was all set to leave, but just before I did I grabbed one of the chrysanthemum scarves piled on the tables. It would not only serve to remind me of why I was still alive but would allow me to honor my fallen brothers. The King would pay for their loss.

I quickly made my way through the Palace undetected and stole a horse from the stables. I had to leave quickly to begin plotting my lone rebellion and nobody cared if a horse or two went missing during a celebration. As I rode out of the Palace and through the gates I could still hear Prince Jai's inspiring warcry in my heart. I silently prayed that his spirit would serve as a guide for me on my mission...


	2. Chapter 1

**Past and Present**

I rode for miles. Long after I'd left the gates of the capital I still rode. Even when my horse began to form froth I still rode. I had already formed a plan, but it required I be as close to the border as I could get. Therefore, I couldn't stop until my horse collapsed. And so I did. When the horse finally gave way I landed on the ground hard. The arrow wound bit sharply at my side as it hit a rock. Shakily, I got to my feet and limped over to the panting horse. It lay on the ground on it's side, foam thick at it's mouth and it's chest heaving for air. We were in the middle of a large grassy plain with mountains in before me and to the west. Clouds were gathering and the air had taken a sharp chill.

When I reached the steed I began to undo the straps on the saddle. I did it slowly, reflecting on how this horse was going to have another chance at life, like me. After undoing the saddle I lifted it off the poor creature's form, then turned to it's harness. This I did slowly, too, knowing that the harness was the symbol of servitude to the horse. I slipped the mouthpiece out of it's mouth and pulled the contraption from it's head, but my work wasn't done, yet. I pulled my sword from it's scabbard and began to pry at the nails holding the horseshoes in place. As each nail came out I recited the names of my fellow officers who'd not been as luck as me in the battle back at the palace.

"Lei, Han, Chu," I said as each nail fell to the grassy earth. "Yun, Sou, Kai, Chan, Wu..."

Memories flooded back of when we first met in training. How young, and naive, we were, then, it'd been so long ago. I'd been the youngest and fullest of energy, and as a consequence the others had given me the nickname of "Leaping Fox." I remembered how even after training we remained good friends. We'd get together every evening and share stories we'd heard or made up on our own, getting drunk on wine, and laughing with great enthusiasm. Every morning we'd awake with our heads feeling like they'd been wearing helmets that were one size too small, but we'd still laugh and poke fun at each others exploits from the night before. We'd regularly challenge each other to tests of strength and skill whenever we could, throwing up dust storms with our speed and prowess. We thought nothing could happen to seperate us, that death's presence on the battlefield itself was inferior to our ability. Then the orders came from the Queen, and the chrysanthemum scarves. In our hearts we'd known that this would eventually happen. The palace was always mired in internal politics and rivalries. But even then my brothers and I were cocky as hell, we thought that with Prince Jai as our commander there'd be nothing to stop us! Reality has a cruel way of shoving itself in front of our eyes...

At last, I pulled the last nail from the horseshoe and let them fall with dull clunks. I gently rubbed the creature, who'd finally calmed down and was breathing easier. How I envied this grand being. He was allowed to run free without restraints, now, and would be able to control his own destiny. I, on the other hand, still had a duty to fulfill and brothers to avenge. My destiny was still not my own to control.

"Go," I murmured to the horse. "Begin your life anew, and live free of servitude..."

I then stood and continued my march on foot without another wasted moment. As I walked on I began removing the armor I'd stolen to disguise myself. I dropped each piece to the ground as I had each nail on the horse's horseshoes. I had no use for armor that would draw too much attention too early in my plan. I was finally down to my robes and boots. I would keep these until I found replacements. Lastly, I disgarded the sword. I wasn't interested in a weapon used by my enemies. As I dropped the blade to the grass covered plain snow began to blow in with a bitter-cold wind. I wasn't deterred, not in the least bit. To me, the snow seemed like a symbol from Heaven. The gods were covering my tracks in a holy white blanket of snow and so wanted me to succeed in my plan.

The next part of my plan might require a bit of spilled blood, but it was necessary. If I wanted to complete my mission I would have to be very careful to keep to every exact detail and be absolutely precise. Anything else would mean failing my mission and most importantly, my brothers.

I walked for many hours until I came across a bandit camp near the base of the mountains. They were a rag-tag bunch of savages, but they'd serve my purpose. I walked into the center of the camp bathed in the light of the campfire. I was covered in snow and my hair hung down to my back, having been undone from it's top-knot. Even so, the presence of a stranger in their camp attracted the attention of the bandits who quickly surrounded me, brandishishing their deadly looking weapons. I made my business known, clear and simple.

"I have a mission of great importance to complete and I require your participation," I stated with no emotion. "I however have no form of payment to offer you. So, let us make a wager: I will fight you all at once and if I win I become your chief."

"And if you lose...?" one of the larger bandits, who was holding a very large and heavy looking spherical hammer in each hand, voiced. Considering how all the other bandits looked at this one with a mixture of fear and respect, I surmised he must have been their leader.

"Then you can do whatever you want," I replied after a moment. The bandits all looked at each other, then turned to their leader who was wearing a big cocky grin.

"Then what are we waiting for?!" he cried as he leapt in the air swinging the hammers in his hands. "Let's see what you got, stranger!"


End file.
